


Her Royal Consort

by JacksonCalico



Series: Her Royal [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I'm Bad At Summaries, Medieval AU, No Smut, Princess and her guard AU, fluff with a little bit of plot, nothing bad happens, there weren't enough royalty au's for this ship so I went and made one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 04:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20401513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JacksonCalico/pseuds/JacksonCalico
Summary: Blake is a princess and Yang is her royal guard.





	Her Royal Consort

It was common knowledge in the world of Remnant that King Ghira and Queen Kali of the kingdom of Menagerie, were beloved by their people. 

The two faunus were known to be kind and caring rulers. They took good care of Menagerie and it's people, made sure their kingdom was welcoming to all walks of life. No one could have asked for better monarchs. 

So that's why it was so surprising when an assassin attempted to kill their only child.

\---------

Blake hadn't even known that the palace had been broken into that night. She had been asleep, blissfully unaware of the intruder. The threat of danger had been completely unknown to her. Her parents, however, were worried in her place.

Blake was the only child of King Ghira and Queen Kali, and the only heir to the Menagerie throne. If something were to happen to Ghira or Kali, Blake was the only person eligible by blood to take over the kingdom. Blake was the princess of Menagerie, and her safety was of utmost importance, for the future of the kingdom.

So when the palace is broken into late one night, and the intruder is captured and revealed to be an assassin, Ghira and Kali fear for their daughter's safety more than their own. 

The assassin hadn't gotten very far into their plan, but the fact that they had gotten into the palace in the first place unnerved the king and queen, so they did what they thought was best.

Increase security within and outside the palace walls, extra guards patrolling at night, and a personal guard for the young Belladonna family heir.

The assassin had admitted to the scheme upon capture, their plan to kill Blake and leave the kingdom without a future ruler. End the Belladonna bloodline and the family's long rule over Menagerie once and for all. Why the assassin would do this, no one knew. The kingdom had thrived under the Belladonna family for generations. 

To say Blake was happy about the new arrangement was a complete and utter lie. She knew her parents were trying to protect her, but she couldn't stop the intense feelings of distress she had at the thought of losing some of her freedom. Her parents had always been kind to her and she loved them dearly. Blake knew they were much more lenient with her than other monarchs would be with their children. No pressure to marry, to entertain suitors, to be wed off at a moments notice for political gain. Her parents allowed her within council meetings, she had free roam of the castle, she was allowed to make friends with the servants and workers as she pleased. 

For once, her parents weren't giving her much of a choice. 

They said they were personally going to go through the list of guards. Blake could only hope that they would choose wisely.

\---------

“Are you serious!?” Sun practically yelled.

Ilia lightly smacked him on the back of his head. “Not so loud.”

Sun muttered a quick sorry and the duo turned their attention back to Blake. 

“Your parents are really giving you a personal guard?” Ilia whispered.

Blake nodded. “I don’t know when, but I know it’s gonna be soon…..I don’t know when I’ll be able to come see you guys after it happens….”

Ilia and Sun shared a look with each other, before turning their attention back to Blake. “You’ll come by when you can, right?” 

“Of course.” Blake smiled sadly. “You’re my friends. I’ll come see you guys as soon as I can.”

Blake had known Ilia and Sun for ages. Both were workers in the palace, down in the stables. When Blake was younger and wanted to see the horses, her mother would take her down the stables. When she was old enough, Blake would go by herself. She’d met Ilia on one of her first alone visits. Ilia had been taking care of one of Blake’s favorite horses, and Blake had started talking to her, and the two became friends. Sun had come along later, but Blake found it fun and easy to talk to him, and a friendship was born. They were some of her closest friends, and she cared about them deeply. 

Blake only hoped it wouldn’t be too long before she saw them again. 

\---------

Blake already knew some of the guards. She had spent a large portion of her life roaming these halls. She could recognize everyone and everything.

But Blake didn't recognize the guard standing before her. She had no idea who this woman was.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with long blond hair and lilac eyes. She was wearing a casual guard's uniform. Dark brown boots, brown pants, long-sleeved white shirt, with a dark blue sleeveless jacket and brown gloves. At first glance, she looked unarmed, but when Blake took a closer look, she could see a sword and dagger hidden under her jacket's tailcoat, and a pistol in the holster of her belt. 

"Your highness, this is Corporal Yang Xiao Long. She has been assigned to be your royal guard from this day forth."

Blake only nodded at General Ironwood's words. A Corporal. A low ranking soldier. Was this the woman she would be trusting with her life?

Blake dismissed the general with a wave of her hand, and he left, leaving Blake alone with the blond woman. Yang, she reminded herself.

"I've never seen you around the palace before."

Blake started to walk down the hallway, signaling the corporal to follow her. If this was the person Blake was going to spend a good portion of her time with, it wouldn't hurt to get to know her.

The blond woman paused before responding. "I used to be assigned to the outer walls and patrols in the city. I've never been inside the palace."

Blake hummed in response. She briefly wondered why her parents chose this woman to be her guard. She didn't know her way around the palace, wasn't a guard trained to protect it. She was a low ranking officer, and she had never been in the palace.

Yang didn't speak to her after that. She didn't seem like she knew what to do, just walked behind her, sticking close by.

Blake didn't know how to feel about this woman yet. Her parents said they would choose the best person for the job. What made Yang so important?

"Why did you become a guard?"

Yang hesitated once again before responding.

"I needed work and the job paid well enough."

Blake only nodded. It was the common response most guards had when asked that question. She could only think of one last question to ask.

"Why are you my guard?"

Blake heard Yang's steps faltered briefly. Interesting. 

"My captain sent me up to the palace. Said there was a job opportunity here and he needed to send someone."

Blake waited for Yang to continue. She didn't.

Blake slowed her steps down as the two approached her bedroom door. She opened the door, and noticed that Yang paused, as if preparing to take watch outside her room. Blake waved Yang into her room instead. This conversation wasn't over yet. 

Blake settled down onto a large, soft chair nestled into the corner of her room. Yang stood awkwardly off to the side. 

"You can sit down. You don't have to stand."

Blake gestured to the chair in front of her desk. Yang hesitated, before sitting down, rigid in the chair.

"Why did your captain send you and not someone else? What makes you special?"

Yang only shrugged. "I’m sorry, I honestly don’t know."

Yang appeared to be somewhat harmless (she was a soldier after all, harmless kind of wasn't their thing), but her soft eyes held no malice. Whether that was just how she was or because Blake was royalty, Blake didn't know. 

"Do you know how to fight?"

Yang looked startled, as if she had been expecting Blake to ask something else.

"Of course."

Blake found herself smiling slightly. Her parents wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. If they thought Yang was the best choice for the job, then she probably was.

"Then I guess I'm in safe hands."

\---------

Getting used to never being alone was hard for Blake. She enjoyed her privacy, but that privacy was hard to come by now that she had a personal guard. 

She couldn't give orders to Yang, because Yang was acting on her father's orders. The king's word outweighed her's, so there wasn't much she could do.

Yang was always hovering nearby. She would walk slightly behind Blake, wait nearby if Blake was reading in the library, stand outside the door if Blake was in her room. Her presence was a constant. 

Yang tried her best to give her some alone time and Blake knew this. She always left the room when Blake changed, but would stay posted outside her door and wait for Blake to be finished. Yang would leave the room if Blake asked her to, but she never strayed far and remained outside the door. Yang didn't speak to her unless spoken to and never tried to interrupt her if she was doing something. She was beyond polite and respectful, but Blake found herself hoping that it wouldn't always be like this. That maybe one day Yang wouldn't be so awkward around her. 

"You can sit down if you want. I don't mind."

Blake always found herself asking Yang to sit. She heard Yang shift slightly from behind her, ears flicking in the corporal's direction. They were in the library for the evening. Blake had just wanted to grab a book, but ended up staying there to read it.

Blake almost thought that Yang wouldn't do it, but the blond guard pulled out the chair beside her and settled down.

"You can talk to me if you want to."

Yang always seemed to hesitate before speaking to her, choosing her words carefully and wisely.

"I don't want to bother you....." She muttered quietly.

Blake shook her head, smiling slightly.

"You're not bothering me. I like talking to you."

Yang’s hesitancy towards her disappeared after that. Blake enjoyed her company a lot more, and found herself wishing the two would become closer. She wanted to get close to Yang. 

Maybe Yang wanted to get closer to her as well.

\---------

Blake had breakfast and dinner with her parents every day. She used to eat lunch by herself, before Yang. Yang was still present for her other meals, but she always stood off to the side with the other guards. Yang ate breakfast and dinner with the other guards, at scheduled times where other guards were available to watch over Blake. Blake would sometimes slip Yang some food during lunch, as thanks for keeping her company.

Blake always enjoyed eating with her parents. She didn’t usually get to see them outside mealtimes. They were always busy, running the kingdom and attending council meetings, so every moment Blake got to spend with her parents, she cherished. 

Sometimes her father couldn’t make it to dinner, and it would be just her and her mother, or sometimes her mother couldn’t make it, and Blake ate with just her father. Very rarely did Blake eat alone, but she hated when she did. 

But now that Yang was here, she would never eat alone again. 

\---------

Blake didn't exactly know when the two became friends. Over the next few weeks, they got to know each other better, and a friendship soon blossomed from a relationship that was supposed to be strictly professional.

Yang learned that Blake loved seafood, preferred romance novels above all other books, and was terrified of dogs. She had never left the palace, but knew most of the servants and workers. 

Blake learned that Yang had a younger sister, Ruby, who apparently had a knack for weapons and loved reading almost as much as Blake. Yang became a guard when she was 18, almost two years ago, and had risen slightly through the ranks to become a corporal a few months before she met Blake. Yang always spent her days on leave with her family, days that were rare and far between.

"I'm going on leave in a couple of days. Get to spend the weekend with my dad and Ruby. His highness said you'd get a temporary guard while I'm gone."

They were alone in Blake's room, just before Yang left for the night. Yang slept down in the guard's quarters, leaving just after Blake went to sleep for the night and returning just before dawn. Blake never knew the guards that stood outside her door at night. 

When Yang left on Saturday morning, Blake got to see her off. Yang had been there when she woke up, but was dressed in somewhat casual clothing. Worn brown pants, an aging pair of combat boots, and a white dress shirt. Her jacket was gone, and so was her pistol and sword, but her dagger still hung from her belt. Her gloves were also missing, revealing a metal prosthetic where her right arm should have been.

Blake didn't get the time to ponder this revelation, as Yang swiftly introduced her to her temporary guard, another Corporal named Lie Ren. She left soon after, and Blake was alone with Ren. 

He didn't speak to her, but she got the sense that was how he was with everybody. The silence was almost startling. Blake had gotten so used to Yang's chats and comments that she was somewhat uncomfortable with the lack of noise. Which was odd, seeing how she had grown up with peace and quiet, and would have welcomed the silence only a few short months ago.

Ren didn't sit next to her in the library like Yang did. Ren didn't stand as close to her as Yang did. Ren didn't talk to her like Yang did. 

The two days Yang was gone were some of the loneliest days of Blake's life. Ren was nice, but he still wasn't Yang. No one could replace Yang. 

\---------

The highlight of Blake’s weekend was Weiss coming back from Atlas. Weiss Schnee was the daughter of a duke in Atlas, and once a year, she would leave Menagerie to see her sister, Winter. Weiss hated her trips to Atlas. Her relationship with her father was nonexistent, after he disowned her two years priors, for reasons that Weiss never specified. Having to spend a couple weeks of the year in his presence made Weiss snappier than usual in the days leading up to her trip.

Weiss had lived in Menagerie ever since her father disowned her. Her exact role in the palace was sort of unknown. She attended council meetings, but she wasn’t actually a member of the council. She was sort of an advisor to the council, giving advice where it was needed. Her unknown position aside, Weiss was a valued resident of the palace.

Weiss was the closest thing Blake had to a best friend before Yang, and Blake cherished her friendship with Weiss. Weiss had left for Atlas shortly before Yang arrived in the palace, so the two had never met, and with Weiss’s schedule, it would probably be weeks or months before they actually did. 

Weiss arrived back at the palace the night Yang left, but Blake didn’t get to see her till the next morning. 

“Weiss!” 

The much shorter woman turned around to face the princess approaching her. “Blake! It’s good to see you.”

Blake cleared the short distance between them. “How was the trip?”

“Irritating, as usual.”Weiss sighed. “Father is still upset that I left, even though he’s the one who disowned me.” 

Weiss noticed Ren standing off to the side. “Who is he? Your royal guard?”

Blake shook her head. “This is Corporal Lie Ren.” Ren nodded in Weiss’s direction, but remained silent. “He’s my temporary guard for the weekend. My actual guard, Yang, is on leave till Monday.”

Weiss hummed. “You’ll have to introduce me when they get back. I’d love to meet the person who’s being forced to spend time with you every day.” 

Blake chuckled quietly. Weiss was one of the few people who could get away with those jokes. 

“It’s good to have you back Weiss.”

\---------

Blake surprised herself by hugging Yang when she returned. Yang was already back by the time the sun rose on Monday morning. So when Blake woke up, Yang was already there, dressed in her uniform, with a soft smile on her face. 

Blake could barely comprehend what happened next. She just knew that she had thrown her bed sheets off of herself, gotten out of bed, and threw her arms around Yang's neck. Yang returned the hug after a moment of shock.

"Miss me much princess?"

Blake huffed slightly.

"Shut up. It's been quiet without you here."

Yang laughed, a sound that was music to Blake's ears after two days without it. 

\---------

Blake never learned the story behind Yang's right arm till weeks after she first saw it.

It was an unusually hot day, and Blake couldn't bring herself to do much more than lie around and try to keep herself cool.

If Blake was hot, wearing only a long-sleeved white shirt and a grey skirt, then Yang was absolutely dying.

Her jacket, while sleeveless, was heavy and thick, and her long pants weren't any better. 

Yang had already shrugged her jacket off (after asking for permission to stray from uniform), and one of the buttons on her collared shirt had been popped open. She still, however kept her gloves on, despite the fact that they were most definitely keeping in the heat and bound to be uncomfortable.

"Why aren't you taking your gloves off?"

Blake's parents always told her that she could be kind of blunt. She liked to get straight to the point, not waste time. Why spend time sugarcoating her words when she could just say what needs to be said?

Yang shrugged, rubbing her right arm. Blake would do anything to get that vaguely haunted look off of Yang's face.

"Don't know.......guess I just don't want you to see it....."

It was Yang's job to be intimidating, so vulnerable was a new look on her. 

Before Blake could respond, Yang was pulling off her gloves, once again revealing the silver metal of her right arm. 

"I lost it about a year ago, after a rather nasty fight, and General Ironwood had a prosthetic built for me. It's not the same as the old thing, but it works well enough."

Yang didn't give specifics of the fight, and Blake didn't pry. It must have been pretty bad, if Yang ended up losing an arm. 

Blake reached out to hold the metal hand, but hesitated. Was this too intimate? Was she crossing a line?

Blake took a deep breath and gently grasped the cool metal. Yang swallowed hard, but didn't pull her hand away. 

"Is this why your old captain sent you here?"

Yang shrugged. “Maybe.” She paused. “Whatever his reason was, I’m glad he sent me here.”

“Why’s that?” Blake asked.

Yang's smile broadened and Blake's heart soared.

“I got to meet you.”

Blake knew this was bad, but she didn't care.

All that mattered right now, was the blond woman in front of her, and the cool metal in her hand.

\---------

Yang liked to sometimes make fun of Blake for her choice in literature. She only ever did it when no one was around (teasing the princess had to have been some form of taboo), but Blake didn't mind. 

Like anything Yang did could make Blake like her any less.

\---------

Weiss and Yang finally met weeks after Weiss came back from Atlas. Blake hadn’t seen much of Weiss since she got back. She’d been busy working non-stop with the council. 

Blake and Yang ended up running into Weiss just after a council meeting ended. They had turned a corner near the council room when Weiss nearly bumped right into them. 

“Princess?”

“Weiss?”

The shorter woman smiled at her. “It’s been a while.” Weiss glanced behind her. "And this must be Yang.”

Blake nodded, stepping aside to allow Yang to come forward. Weiss extended a hand out towards her. 

“Council Adviser Weiss Schnee.”

“Corporal Yang Xiao Long.”

Yang accepted her extended hand, shaking it firmly, once, twice, before letting go. Blake can see Weiss sizing the taller woman up, and it almost makes her laugh.

“I hope Blake hasn’t been boring you too much. She reads way too many books.”

Yang chuckled slightly at that. Blake scoffed, but her smile betrayed her annoyance. 

“Miss Schnee!”

A council member Blake couldn’t quite recognize called out to Weiss, and the white-haired woman sighed. 

“I have to go. It was nice seeing you, Blake.”

Blake nodded in agreement and Weiss disappeared into the council room. 

“It’s nice to know I’m not the only one here who thinks you read too much.”

“Shut up Yang.”

\---------

“Can we go down to the stables?”

Yang looks briefly startled by Blake’s question. “Are you allowed down there?” She asks. 

Blake nods. “It’s been a while, but there are some people I want you to meet.”

Yang looks at her skeptically. “Should I be worried?”

Blake laughs. “You made it through meeting Weiss. I think you’ll make it.”

Yang rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless. “Lead the way, your highness.”

The walk to the stables doesn’t take very long, and when they arrive, Yang opens the door for her, and Blake steps inside. 

Sun looks up and immediately spots her. “Blake!” He shouts, pulling his gloves off and rushing over to her. He throws his arms around her, and Blake laughs. She sees Ilia peek her head out of the storage closet, and then she’s rushing over as well and joining the hug. 

“It’s been forever!” Sun says, releasing her and stepping back. 

Ilia looks over Blake’s shoulder and notices Yang, leaning against the door frame. “Who’s this? Your guard?”

Blake nods, looking back at her companion. “This is Yang. Yang, this is Ilia and Sun.”

Sun waves at her, smile wide. Ilia is smiling as well, but her smile is much more subdued.  
Yang is smiling too, her posture relaxed. “Nice to meet you guys.”

“Has she bored you to death yet?” 

Yang laughs at Sun’s question. “Weiss said the exact same thing.”

Ilia rolls her eyes. “Blake’s the most boring person in this entire palace. It’s her one key feature.”

“I hate you guys.”

They all laugh, and Blake can’t describe the way her heart clenches at the sound of Yang’s laugh.

\---------

Blake asked Yang to teach her how to fight one day. 

“You want to learn how to fight?” 

Blake nodded. “Just in case something happens and you're not there.”

Yang seemed to ponder it for a moment. “Would...would his highness be okay with it?”

Blake smirked mischievously. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Yang laughed. “I love it when you’re feisty.”

Blake let out a nervous chuckle, her cheeks darkening. 

This woman. This beautiful, perfect woman. Yang was going to be the death of her. 

\---------

After that, she and Yang would sneak out to the training yard once a week, when no one was around, and Yang would teach her how to fight. 

Basic training, Yang had told her. Nothing too advanced, just enough for her to be able to defend herself. 

Blake loved training with Yang. It was quickly becoming the highlight of her week. Just her and Yang, exchanging soft blows, enjoying each other’s company. 

They would stop every once and awhile so Yang could correct her stance, and Blake’s flush was no longer just from the workout. Yang’s strong hands on her hips, her shoulders, her arms, adjusting her gently. 

“You’re getting really red. Want to take a break?”

Blake quickly shook her head. “I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

Blake nodded. “Yeah….”

And they were back at it again, throwing punches and dodging around each other. Blake grew bolder the longer they went on, being the first to move forward, getting closer, surer of her moments. 

Until she spotted the ripple of Yang’s muscles under her shirt and Blake’s concentration instantly slipped, along with her footing. She fell forward, tripping over her own legs. 

Yang’s arms shot out, catching Blake by her biceps and pulling the shorter woman, but Blake's momentum carried her forward, crashing into Yang's chest.

If Blake’s blush had been bad enough before, it was nothing compared to her face now. Cheeks dark red, pressed against Yang’s breasts, her fingers gripping the other woman’s shirt tightly. 

“You okay?” Yang whispered into one of her cat ears. 

Blake glanced up, into those concerned lilac eyes. Yang’s face was equally as flushed as her own, her breathing heavy. 

“Yeah…..I’m fine…”

Blake pulled her face away from Yang’s body, standing upright, but never letting go of Yang’s shirt. One of Yang’s hands drifted down to Blake’s waist, steadying her. 

They stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like hours, lilac locked onto gold. Blake could feel Yang’s warm breath on her face, and found herself leaning in. She wanted to kiss Yang. She wanted Yang to hold her, to cradle her face, to kiss her. 

Yang was leaning in too, tilting her head downwards, grip tightening on her waist. 

Voices erupted from behind Blake. They jumped apart, and Blake whirled around in the direction of the noise. She could hear other guards approaching from around the corner. 

Yang reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back towards the palace. Blake technically wasn’t supposed to be out in the training yard. They would both be in trouble if they got caught.

Blake let Yang guide her back inside, dazed. She had wanted to kiss Yang. She had almost kissed Yang. They had almost kissed.

So as Yang pulled Blake back towards her room, Blake only had one thought. 

This woman was definitely going to be the death of her. 

\---------

They never talked about what happened, their almost kiss. Blake couldn’t look Yang in the eyes for days after that without blushing, but Yang wasn’t any better off. 

It was an awkward couple of days, but Blake somehow got through it without letting her feelings slip.

\---------

As it turned out, her parents were right to be worried about another break-in at the palace, because it happened again. Only this time, she had Yang.

Yang hadn't even left for the night yet. She had stayed a little longer than usual, the two of them just enjoying each other's company. Yang had long since stopped leaving the room when Blake changed, simply turning around. It prolonged their time together, so Blake didn't complain.

Blake heard General Ironwood approaching before Yang did, perks of having a second set of ears. She also heard snippets of rushed conversations, catching only 'intruder' and 'east wing'. Someone had broken into the palace, in the east wing. Blake’s bedroom was in the east wing. 

"The general's coming."

Moments later, the general was knocking at her door.

"Princess, Corporal Xiao Long?" At their confirming response, he continued. He didn't open the door and neither Blake or Yang moved to open it. "The palace has gone into lock down. I will come by to lift the lock down after the situation has been resolved. Two guards are posted outside the door. Neither are permitted inside. Understand Corporal?"

"Yes General."

He left swiftly, continuing to address other guards. Yang had already gone into what Blake had long ago dubbed 'guard mode'. Perfect posture, alert, prepared for a fight. Prepared to do her job, protect Blake at all costs. 

They didn't talk much throughout the night. Yang kept quiet, listening to voices in the hallways. Blake laid on her side, in her bed, watching her. She trusted Yang to keep her safe. 

It wasn't until hours later that General Ironwood finally came by. Blake hadn't been able to sleep much, and Yang not at all, so Blake wasn't surprised when Yang visibly relaxed, barely stifling a yawn. 

Yang stayed with her the rest of the night even though her shift was technically over. So Blake drifted off to sleep, with Yang sitting on a chair by her bedside. 

When Blake awoke the next morning, Yang was still there, fast asleep, her head resting on her arms on the edge of her bed. 

She looked so peaceful and relaxed, more so than Blake had ever seen her before. Blake couldn't help but reach over and gently brush some of her golden hair behind an ear.

Yang stirred, but didn't wake, slumping forward more onto the bed. Blake felt her heart swell with adoration for the blond guard.

Blake knew how she felt, how could she not? Blake had become so attached to Yang in such a short time. Their relationship had gone beyond what would be considered professional, and it did so a long time ago.

Blake was the princess of Menagerie, heir to the throne. Yang was a Corporal in the military sworn to serve and protect her family. A low ranking guard and the future ruler of the kingdom. 

Blake had a job. She was to take over the kingdom when her parents passed away. It would be her job to look after her people. The Belladonna family had ruled over Menagerie for generations, but that would all end with Blake, and she knew it.

If a woman were to be her queen, there would be no blood heir, no future ruler to the Menagerie throne from the Belladonna family. The bloodline would end there, with her. 

Blake knew she was in love with Yang. There was no one else Blake could imagine herself being with, serving her kingdom beside her. She had found her match, in the fiery blond guard ordered to protect her.

Her parents always told her to follow her heart. Blake was in love with Yang, and she could only hope that Yang felt the same way. 

\---------

Her parents came to see her as soon as they possibly could, which turned out to be the next morning. 

Yang was awake by then, uniform a little rumpled, hair a little messy, but somehow still presentable. 

Blake had just changed out of her nightgown, and was still buttoning her shirt when her parents arrived.

Her mother entered first, tense, quickly followed by her equally as tense father. Both instantly relaxed the moment they saw her. 

Yang was standing perfectly at attention, back straight, hands at her side, chin up, waiting for orders. Ghira was the first to notice her, and Yang was quickly dismissed out into the hall. She bowed, stepped back, and gave Blake one, quick glance and disappeared out into the hallway.

Her mother immediately enveloped her in a hug, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Her father wrapped his arms around both of them, pulling them into his chest. 

"We were so worried,” Kali whispered, pulling back. "Every time the general came to give us a report, I was so scared that something had happened to you."

"I had Yang. She wouldn't let anything bad happen to me."

Ghira hummed, thoughtful. "Corporal Xiao Long was the most promising guard we received for the position. I hope she's been performing her duties up to your standards."

Blake felt a little bit of guilt well up. Yang wasn't just her guard, she was her best friend, the woman she fell in love with. She had gone far beyond simply performing her job, and she did so a long time ago.

"I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

Blake knows her voice has gone soft and gentle. Catches the weird look her parents give each other, but she doesn't think about that too much, not when her thoughts are full of the blond woman standing outside her door.

\---------

Blake's feelings only got worse the more time they spent together. Every brush of their shoulders, every time their legs touched when they sat down together in the library, every gentle hand on her shoulder when Yang leaned down to talk to her, every laugh and chuckle shared between them, every soft smile when they thought no one was looking. 

It all only makes Blake fall for her even more.

Yang had progressively been staying longer and longer every night. Instead of leaving the moment Blake settled into bed, like she had been instructed to, she'd pull up a chair, sit by her bedside, and they would talk until Blake drifted off to sleep.

It's a much later night than usual and Blake has yet to lay down. She's still seated in her large chair, book open, no sign of stopping anytime soon.

"It's getting late. You should probably get ready for bed soon."

Blake only hummed, turning a page. Her ears twitch in the direction of Yang's sigh. "Princess?"

No response.

"Your highness?"

Blake's eyes continued to glide down the page.

"Blake."

The way Yang says her name, all soft and endearing, has Blake looking up, into those gentle lilac eyes, tired, but still filled with mirth.

"You should really be getting ready for bed Blake."

Blake can't say no to that face. "I know." She sighs.

Blake slips her bookmark into place, leaves her book on her desk, and finally starts getting ready for the night. 

It doesn't take her long to get changed, and before she knows it, she's slipping into bed, relaxing onto her soft mattress. Yang pulls the desk chair over, and claims her usual spot at the edge of the bed.

Yang's talking, but Blake isn't really paying attention. Her exhaustion has her focused on Yang's mouth, on the lips that she's wanted to kiss for months. 

"Blake?"

Blake's attention snaps up to her eyes, face darkening. 

"I want to kiss you."

Blake can't stop the words from slipping out of her mouth. She's so tired, and Yang's so beautiful, there's nothing else she can think of.

"W-What?"

The redness of Yang's cheeks rival her own, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"I think I'm in love with you."

Blake is fully awake now, all hints of exhaustion fading from her mind.

Blake reaches her hand out and cups Yang's cheek. Yang doesn't pull away, doesn't stop Blake from pulling her closer, and actually leans in over the last few centimeters.

Yang brushes her lips over Blake's, gentle and hesitant. Blake leans her head forward slightly, and then she's finally kissing Yang.

Yang’s lips were so much softer than she imagined. Yang’s right hand cups her cheek, and Blake tilts her head. She can feel Yang grin, smile widening till Blake can barely kiss her. 

Blake pulls away. “Stop smiling so I can kiss you.” Blake’s quite the hypocrite apparently. She’s smiling just as widely as Yang. 

Yang’s thumb rubs her cheek gently. “I’m sorry I’m just really happy right now.” She whispers. “I never thought that I’d actually have a chance with you. You’re the princess of the kingdom and I’m just some guard.”

Blake presses another kiss to Yang’s lips. “But you’re the guard I fell in love with. I love you, Yang.”

Yang rests her forehead against Blake’s. Her smile has been etched into Blake's mind since the day they met, but Blake has never seen her smile like this.

“I love you too.”

\---------

Blake never thought that she would have a girlfriend. She was a princess, people like her didn’t date. There was no dating, there was marriage. Princesses and princes entertained suitors and suitresses and then they were married. That was just how it was with royalty. 

Yang wasn’t a suitress, she was a royal guard. She was Blake’s best friend, the person she trusted more than anyone else, the love of her life. 

Yang was Blake’s girlfriend, and Blake couldn’t be happier. 

\---------

A few days after their first kiss, Blake takes Yang out to one of the palace gardens. 

It’s the only garden in the palace dedicated to flowers, and Blake has loved coming there since she was a small child. She hadn’t gotten the chance to visit it in a long time, so Blake brings Yang there as their first date.

Blake lets Yang take the lead, and it's mesmerizing watching the guard explore the garden with child-like glee. 

“I’ve never seen so many flowers.” Yang whispers in awe.

Blake brushes her fingers against an orchid, smiling. Yang’s crouched down beside her, observing a patch of blue violets. 

“My great grandmother loved flowers, so my great grandfather had this whole garden made for her.”

Yang hums, reaching down and gently picking one of the violets. Blake looks over at her as Yang brushes a loose strand of hair behind her ear, placing the violet in her hair. Blake almost laughs at the implication.

“Really, a violet?”

Yang laughs. “I think it’s safe to say we’re both friends of Sappho, Blakey. A violet is standard procedure.”

It Blake’s turn to laugh and Yang grins. “We are a little sapphic, aren’t we?”

Yang grabs Blake’s hand and lifts it up, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “We’re more than a little sapphic sweetheart.”

Blake can’t help the blush that spreads across her face, or the way her heart beats faster from the way Yang looks at her.

\---------

“You’re dating your guard?”

Weiss looks at Blake in disbelief, and Blake nods, slightly embarrassed. 

Yang and Blake had been together for a couple of weeks. On the outside, the two still looked like normal friends, just a princess and her royal guard. They were much more than friends, but no one knew that.

They had never discussed telling people about their relationship before, nothing past the initial secrecy they had planned on having. 

They didn’t account for Weiss, however. She instantly knew that something had changed between the two. 

“When the hell did that happen?” She demands.

It wasn’t very often that Weiss swore. She probably thought this whole thing was scandalous, which made Blake glad that Yang wasn’t here to face her wrath. 

Her parents had initiated mandatory monthly combat training for all guards. Today was the day Yang had been assigned to report to training, so Blake decided to spend time with Weiss. 

Blake was miraculously free of a guard that day, leaving her alone with the shorter woman. They were walking down one of the hallways near the training yard, and Blake couldn’t help but stop and look out the window to watch. 

“A couple of weeks ago.” 

Weiss sighed, rubbing her temples. “Blake.”

Blake hated the tone of her voice, all exasperated and disappointed. 

“You know what this means for the kingdom right?”

Blake avoided her gaze. “Of course I do Weiss…..but I can’t stop myself from loving her. She’s so important to me.” Blake looks out at the yard, sees Yang joking around with a short, orange-haired guard. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Weiss must see the way her eyes have softened, the absolute love and adoration in her eyes as she stares down at Yang, and sighs.

“As long as you’re happy,” Blake tore her eyes away from Yang to look at Weiss. “I’ll support you two. Don’t make me regret this.”

Blake looks back at her guard, smile wide. “Thank you, Weiss.”

Weiss can’t help the smile that creeps onto her face at the sight. 

A princess and her royal guard, wholeheartedly in love. 

Weiss only hopes it all works out in the end. 

\---------

“Weiss knows.”

Blake cranes her neck back to look at Yang’s face. Blake’s sitting on her lap, in that large, soft chair in her room. Yang’s jacket is draped over the back of the chair, and her belt is free of weapons, making Yang the most comfortable pillow Blake has ever laid on. 

Yang looks down at her curiously. “Oh? How’d that go?” She asks. 

Blake turns her attention back to the book she’s reading. “Fine. She says she supports us.”

Yang nuzzles Blake’s neck. “Nice to know we have someone on our side, even if it is the ice queen.”

Blake laughs, gently swatting at one of Yang’s arms. She can feel Yang smiling into the crook of her neck. 

“You really need to stop calling her that. One of these days she’ll find out and kill you.”

Yang’s arms tighten their grip slightly around her waist. “I’d like to see her try. She wouldn’t hurt her princess’s girlfriend now would she?”

“She might try if you don’t behave.”

Yang laughs, and even though she’s heard it a thousand times before, the sound never fails to make Blake smile. 

\---------

“Yang!”

The sudden shout of Yang’s name and quickly approaching footsteps has the young couple temporarily startled. Yang’s protective instincts kick in, and she’s turning around, one arm pulling Blake behind her, the other reaching for the weapons on her belt. That is, until she realizes who it is.

“Ruby?” Yang says, relaxing, eyes wide in disbelief. 

A short girl with black and red hair sprints up and flings her arms around Yang. Yang hugs her back, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. They’re both smiling wide, and Blake can’t help but smile herself. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Yang sets the girl, Ruby, back onto the ground gently. 

“I wanted to see you!” Ruby laughs, bouncing on her feet in excitement. 

Yang’s smile falters for a moment. “How’d you get into the palace?” She glances over at Blake, concern clear in her eyes. 

“Jaune let me in.” Ruby points behind her, and a blond man is jogging down the hall towards them. He stops behind Ruby, hands on his knees, panting. 

He takes a moment to catch his breath. “I know this is a violation of safety but-” He glances up and stops mid-sentence when he realizes who’s there with them. He scrambles to put himself together, straightening his blue jacket, standing upright, quickly saluting the heir to the kingdom. “P-Princess!”

One of Blake’s ears flicks in acknowledgment. Ruby leans over to the side and glances behind Yang at Blake, confused. Her eyes dance between Yang and Blake, and then she looks back at Jaune. Her confusion slips into realization. 

“Princess?!” Ruby’s eyes shoot back to Yang. 

Yang looks back at her girlfriend, face slightly flushed. “Ruby this is Princess Blake Belladonna.” She introduces. “Blake, this is my sister, Ruby Rose.”

Ruby is clearly flustered, face red, eyes wide. Blake’s ears tilt back under the other girl’s gaze, and she smiles nervously.

Jaune finally snaps out of his shock. “Your highness I-” It’s obvious that Jaune doesn’t know what to say, how to explain why he let a stranger into the palace.

Yang shares a look with Blake, who shrugs. 

Yang sighs. “It’s fine Jaune just, never do it again.”

Jaune’s face is bright red, as he nods. “Are you going to tell Captain Nikos?” 

“I’m not going to tell anyone as long as you get back to your post before anyone notices you’re gone.”

Jaune nods vigorously, bowing, before turning around and running back down the hallway he came from. 

“Never thought I’d see the day where you’re the one giving orders.” Blake mutters, grinning.

Yang laughs. “Hard to give orders when you’re the lowest ranking royal guard. I can barely get you to go to bed on time.” 

Yang gives Blake a light nudge, not even off-balancing her, but the action alone has Ruby gasping.

The short girl is openly staring at the duo. “You’re the princess….” Her gaze shifts over to Yang. “You just shoved the princess….” 

“I wouldn’t call that a shove, but whatever you say Ruby.”

Ruby glares at Yang, and Blake laughs at the interaction, causing Yang to grin.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew the princess?”

Yang smirks, shrugging. “Well, I didn’t tell you I was dating her either.”

“You’re what!?”

Blake’s face is flushed red, but she’s smiling anyway.

\---------

Months have gone by since the palace was last broken into, and General Ironwood changes the guard schedules and routines. The guards that once stood guard outside Blake’s room at night are assigned for nightly patrols in the palace instead. Security is still strict in the east wing, but the lack of guards at Blake’s door allows Yang to stay much later into the night without anyone knowing.

Blake still hates it when Yang leaves. She hates being alone in her room, when Yang isn’t there to hold her or kiss her, to make her feel loved. 

Yang is leaving one night, and Blake asks something she’s wanted to for weeks. 

“Stay with me tonight.” Blake whispers, grip tightening on Yang’s hand. 

Yang looks down at her, shocked, and Blake almost regrets asking, but then Yang’s face is softening, and her mouth tilts up in a little smile. 

“Are you sure? Someone might notice.” Yang rubs her thumb gently over Blake’s knuckles. 

Blake nods, and Yang leans over and presses a kiss to her forehead. When she pulls back she’s grinning. “Then I guess I’m staying.”

Basically, everything about the uniform Yang wears is uncomfortable to sleep in, so she’ll have to practically be naked if either of them want to be comfortable. 

Blake watches as Yang pulls off her gloves and unbuckles her belt. She's sitting up on her bed, fingers twitching with the urge to do it herself. Yang places her belt and gloves on the desk and her fingers raise to undo the buttons on her jacket. She’s only on the second button before Blake can’t take it anymore and gives in to the urge. 

Yang’s so focused on her jacket that she doesn’t notice Blake slipping out of bed. She freezes when Blake takes her hands gently into her own, pulling them away from her jacket.

Blake grins at the shocked look on her face, and presses a kiss to Yang’s lips, letting go of her hands to grab the collar of her jacket. 

Yang watches with lidded eyes as nimble fingers undo her jacket, swallowing thickly when gentle hands push the material off her shoulders. Blake hangs the jacket on the back of the desk chair and steps back.

Yang stands stock-still as Blake moves to sit on the edge of her bed, as if nothing happened, and then she’s moving all at once. Blake laughs as Yang kicks off her boots, hands flying to undo the buttons on her shirt. 

“You’re lucky I’m tired Belladonna, or you might just have to pay the consequences of your actions.”

Blake’s face is bright red at the implication, but she keeps laughing anyway. 

Yang pulls her shirt off, leaving her practically bare from the waist up, with only a black bra covering her breasts. Blake’s laughter cuts off as she stares at her girlfriend’s muscular build and well-endowed chest. 

“Like what you see?” Yang says smugly, cheeks tinting slightly pink.

“Quiet Yang.”

Yang laughs as she unbuttons her leather pants, and Blake’s eyes shoot to the ceiling when she pulls them off. 

“Oh, so this is where you draw the line on my decency.” 

Blake remains silent as she slips back under the covers, blush very prominent. 

“Just shut up and get into bed.”

Yang laughs again and moves to the other side of the bed, slipping underneath the covers. There’s an awkward moment of silence as they gaze at each other over the space between them. 

Then Yang reaches out to her, and Blake crawls over the distance and curls up in her girlfriend’s arms. Yang wraps her arms tightly around her, and Blake is momentarily startled by the cold metal of her right arm, flinching slightly.

Yang must have noticed her reaction, because she’s apologizing and moving her arm away. Blake shakes her head, shifting to look at the spot where metal meets skin. Scar tissue peeks out from beneath the prosthetic and Blake leans down, pressing a kiss to the sensitive skin. 

Yang's flesh hand pulls Blake's face away from her arm, and she leans forward, kissing her. 

“I love you.” Blake whispers when she leans back. Yang kisses her again. “I love you too.” She mumbles against Blake’s lips.

Blake’s fingers graze up and down Yang’s spine, brushing over her shoulder blades, smoothing over scars, legs tangling with hers. 

“I’m kind of glad my clothes don’t fit you.”

Yang kisses her on top of her head, right between her ears. “Why’s that?” Yang whispers.

Blake doesn't answer her, just snuggling closer, sighing as she rests her head on Yang's breasts.

And they fall asleep, lulled to slumber by the sound of each other’s breathing. 

\---------

Yang stayed the night often after that. There were still nights where she had to leave to sleep in the guard’s quarters in order to deflect suspicion, but sometimes she would sneak back into Blake’s room just a few hours later.

“I think Captain Nikos knows something is up. She was giving me weird looks at breakfast this morning.”

Blake’s ear flicks, and she turns a page in her book. “Doesn’t she always give you weird looks?”

Yang shifts behind her. “She only does that when she thinks me and Nora are plotting something.”

“So yeah, always.”

Yang unwraps an arm from around Blake’s waist, and a metal finger pokes the faunus’s cheek. Blake turns her head and glares at the guard, but her annoyance is fake.

Yang’s carefree expression drops into something much more concerned.

“Should…..should we be worried?”

Blake kisses Yang’s cheek. “I love you. Nothing is going to keep me away from you, sunshine.”

Yang smiles at the nickname, dropping her head to press a kiss into the crook of Blake’s neck. Blake leans her head back onto Yang’s shoulder. 

“I love you too.” Yang whispers into her neck, and even though Blake’s heard her say it a hundred times before, it never fails to make her heart beat faster.

Yang loves Blake, and Blake loves Yang. Nothing will keep them apart. 

\---------

As time went on, Blake and Yang got a lot less…...discreet with their relationship. 

Weiss warned them to be careful, and they understood her concern, but sometimes they just couldn’t help themselves. Loose strands of hair required a hand to brush them back, a loving look requested an equally loving kiss.

Captain Nikos did end up finding out about their relationship, but Pyrrha had been more concerned about something bad being the reason Yang was never in her bed instead of one of her guards dating the princess, so it was anticlimactic, to say the least.

As the number of people who knew about their relationship grew, the more anxious Blake became that one day her parents would find out and she would have to face them. She knew it was inevitable. Her parents finding out was only a matter of time, and Blake only hoped that her days with Yang weren’t numbered. 

\---------

They really should have listened to Weiss, because one day they kiss outside Blake’s room, and a guard they don’t know sees them. 

They don’t even know he saw them, because he’s gone by the time they pull apart, already on his way to report the scandal.

They’ve just gotten outed, and they have no idea.

\---------

When Yang goes to monthly training, Kali and Ghira strike.

The moment her parents approach her, Blake’s on edge.

“Blake, sweetheart, can we talk to you for a minute?” Her mother’s voice is quiet, comforting, but Blake’s blood goes cold, ears folding back. She knows this is about Yang, there’s nothing else it could be about.

“About what?” Blake hates the way her voice cracks, the way her breathing is starting to pick up as panic starts to take over. Her parents must notice, because their eyes grow concerned and they share a look.

“It has been brought to our attention,” Her father starts carefully, pausing to pick his next words. “That you and Yang are…..closer than a princess and her guard normally should be.”

Blake doesn’t even take a moment to respond, just turns on her heel and runs.

\---------

Blake finds Yang in the training yard, and at the sight of the princess, every guard is scrambling to make themselves presentable. Blake ignores them, making a beeline towards her lover.

Blake doesn’t even have to say anything for Yang to know something is wrong, and Pyrrha lets Blake take Yang away without so much as a second glance.

Yang guides Blake down the hallway and the couple stop at a dead end. It’s the most private place they’re going to find on such short notice.

Yang wraps her arms around Blake, holding her close. “Blake, sweetheart, what happened?” She whispers, voice laced with concern. She’s not wearing her jacket, and her sleeves are rolled up to her elbows. A cool metal hand brushes tears from Blake’s eyes. 

“My parents, they….”Blake pauses, but Yang understands. “And I just…...I panicked and ran to find you.” 

Yang’s left hand is rubbing soothing circles into Blake’s back, her right softly caressing her cheek. 

Footsteps behind Blake brings their attention away from each other. Blake looks behind her just as her parents round the corner, and her ears are already pressed impossibly flat against her head. 

The first thing Blake notices is that her mother’s ears are just as pulled back as her own, her eyes wide with concern. 

“Blake…..” Kali whispers, and Blake reluctantly removes herself from Yang’s arms to turn around and face her parents. Blake’s right hand seeks Yang’s left, intertwining their fingers.

Standing before her parents, Blake only knows one thing. 

Yang is the love of her life, and nothing will keep Blake from her.

\---------

As it turns out, there was nothing Blake should have been worried about.  
They weren’t mad or upset, disappointed or disgusted. No, they were actually happy for her. 

Ghira was a little reluctant to accept that his little girl was growing up, before he still gave their relationship his approval, and Kali was ecstatic that Blake had found someone to love. It was a drastically different outcome from what Blake had been expecting. 

Looking back now, she’s a little embarrassed about kissing Yang in front of her parents. In the moment, she hadn’t cared. She’d just been so happy that she’d whirled around, thrown her arms over Yang’s shoulders and kissed her right then and there. Her mother teased her for it at dinner that night, but Blake had been too content to care. 

Yang moved permanently into her room that night, and falling asleep in her arms had never felt nicer. Waking up next to her had never felt better either. 

Since they no longer had to fear getting caught, Blake started to sneak out at night with Yang. The first time, it was onto the roof, to see the stars. The second time, it was to the palace ballroom, to share a dance in the moonlight that streamed through the large windows. Other times, they stayed in Blake’s room, just enjoying the silence and each other’s company.

One night, Blake leads Yang out to one of the palace gardens, the exact same one their first date had been at. 

“Do you remember the first time we came here?” Blake asks, settling down on a stone bench that was surrounded by gardenias. Yang sits down beside her, their hands clasped between them. 

“Of course I do. I gave you a violet and you made fun of me.” 

Blake scoffs, but there’s a smile on her face at the memory. “I didn’t make fun of you. It was just a little ironic that you gave me a violet.”

They fall into a comfortable silence, leaning into one another, looking up at the stars and at the flowers around them.

Blake glances down at a gardenia, and remembers why she brought Yang out here in the first place.

She reaches down and plucks the gardenia, holding it gently in her hand. 

Yang looks at her and then down at the flower. “Aren’t those usually in wedding bouquets?”

When Blake doesn’t respond, Yang looks back up at her. “Blake-”

“Be my queen.” 

Yang looks at her, shock evident on her face. The air around them is tense, and Blake feels a spark of anxiety, but then Yang is smiling widely and her head drops onto Blake’s shoulder. 

“Holy shit Blake.” Yang is grinning into her shoulder, her voice slightly muffled. “Give a girl a warning before you say something like that. Of course I’ll be your queen.” 

Blake presses a kiss to Yang’s hair, squeezing her hand. 

“Does this make me your, what’s it called, consort? Your royal consort?”

Blake hums thoughtfully. “I guess it does, even if I’m not queen yet. I think princess consort would be a better term.”

Yang laughs. “I like royal consort better. Makes me sound more important.”

Blake likes it too, because Yang is by far the most important person in her life. The title suits her.

So Blake sits, with her royal consort, in a garden, surrounded by flowers, wholeheartedly in love.

**Author's Note:**

> My first work for RWBY! The better half of a month was spent writing this and I hope everyone enjoys it. I might write a second part if this does well, and if I do it'll probably be more from Yang's perspective. 
> 
> You can follow me on twitter at JacksonCalico if you want. Thanks for reading!


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